Judge issues warrant for Detroit’s Young

An arrest warrant for Dmitri Young was issued Tuesday after the Detroit Tigers designated hitter failed to appear for a pretrial hearing on a domestic violence charge.

Young is accused of choking a 21-year-old Toledo, Ohio, woman April 14 at a Birmingham, Mich., hotel.

A judge ruled that information provided by Young’s attorney on the player’s whereabouts did not meet a requirement that he leave the state only for work-related purposes. Judge Diane D’Agostini of the 48th District Court in Bloomfield Hills (Mich.) issued a bench warrant.

Young’s attorney, William Swor, declined to comment.

Tigers president Dave Dombrowski said that the arrest warrant would not affect Young’s status with the team.

The 32-year-old is on the disabled list with an injured right quadriceps, and left the team for what the Tigers called “personal reasons” in late May.

Neither Swor nor Young were present for the pretrial hearing Monday. Swor faxed a request to D’Agostini on Monday afternoon, asking that the hearing be delayed because he was scheduled to be in federal court in Miami.

At Tuesday’s hearing, Assistant Oakland County prosecutor Tare Wigod told D’Agostini that Swor told him Young had a medical emergency and was out of state.

But D’Agostini rejected the request for a delay and demanded proof by the end of the day that Young was housed at a legitimate medical facility. She also ordered Swor to appear in her courtroom on Friday.

Diamondbacks swallow contract

The Arizona Diamondbacks decided they would rather eat the remaining $22 million of Russ Ortiz’ contract than keep him on their roster.

The club designated the struggling right-hander for assignment, which means it has 10 days to trade, waive or release him.

The team is on the hook for the balance of the $33-million, four-year contract Ortiz signed in December 2004, a figure general manager Josh Byrnes said was close to $22 million.

“We’re like most clubs: every dollar counts. You want to spend them as effectively as possible,” Byrnes said. “That affected the decision, but we also were true to ourselves, and we want to put our best 25 on the field and try to win games. That led us to our decision.”

Ortiz, 32, was 0-5 with a 7.54 ERA in six starts for Arizona this season, and he was 1-14 in his last 19 starts dating to May 2005. Ortiz spent parts the last two seasons on the disabled list, with a rib cage injury in 2005 and a calf injury this year.

Duffy reports after month

Outfielder Chris Duffy ended a month-long walkout, reported to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ extended spring training camp in Bradenton, Fla., and will be assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis once he returns to playing shape.

Duffy began the season as the team’s starting center fielder, but was optioned to Indianapolis on May 14 after batting .194 in 31 games. Duffy declined to report and was placed on the minor league suspended list.

Wolf takes shot to hand

Philadelphia Phillies starter Randy Wolf left in the third inning of his second minor league rehabilitation start with Single-A Clearwater (Fla.) after he was hit on the left hand by a line drive.